The effects of fantasy football participation on NFL consumption: A qualitative analysis

The growth of fantasy sports into a multi-billion dollar industry has made it an important component of the sports industry. Sport leagues must acknowledge the impact fantasy sports have on the way its participants consume their sport. This study examines the impact of fantasy football on the consumption of NFL-related products and services using an adapted version of the attitude/behavior model developed [Fazio, R. H., Powell, M. C., & Herr, P. M. (1983). Toward a process model of the attitude–behavior relation: Accessing one's attitude upon mere observation of the attitude object. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(4), 723–735]. Using qualitative methods, the data indicate that fantasy football participants utilized various media sources, specifically the Internet, television, cellular telephones, and a variety of print media, at much higher levels as a result of their interest and participation in fantasy football. Further, contrary to previous literature on fan loyalty, team and player outcomes were found to alter perceptions towards a favorite team or a fantasy team.     

An examination of athletic alumni giving behavior: Development of the Former Student-Athlete Donor Constraint Scale

The purpose of this investigation was to develop a scale to measure the degree to which college athletic donation barriers exist for former student-athletes. The Former Student-Athlete Donor Constraint Scale (FSADCS) was created to further examine donor constraint themes found in a previous qualitative investigation. An analysis of the construct validity of the FSADCS was conducted with 243 former student-athletes from a NCAA Division I institution. The FSADCS was developed through thematic content analysis, item generation, expert review, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and additional validity and reliability testing. CFA supported a 5-factor, 27-item structure (Lack of Importance, Disconnect, Communication Issues, Experience Issues, and Dissatisfaction). Additional validity and reliability tests also supported the FSADCS. The findings of this study illustrate the importance of developing a framework for understanding potential barriers which influence charitable contribution behavior for a unique population within the prospective donor market.     

A comparison of muscle activations during traditional and abbreviated tennis serves

The abbreviated tennis serve is a relatively novel modification of the traditional serve that has been reported to provide performance advantages over the traditional technique. However, there are limited objective data regarding the benefits and biomechanics of the abbreviated serve; no data exist that describe shoulder muscle activations during the abbreviated serve. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activations between the traditional and abbreviated serves. Electromyographic data were collected for the anterior and posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, middle trapezius, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, and pectoralis major. When muscle activations were compared during each serve phase, no significant differences were observed between the traditional and abbreviated tennis serve techniques, indicating that the traditional and abbreviated serves are similar regarding shoulder muscle activations. These results could have implications for performance of and injury related to the abbreviated versus traditional serve technique. Although the abbreviated serve has anecdotally been described as advantageous, the present data do not indicate any significant advantages or disadvantages in performing the abbreviated serve technique versus the traditional serve.     

Radiations from radioactive rhodium (105)

The characteristic radiations of the 36-hr. rhodium (105) have been investigated with the use of conventional absorption and coincidence methods. The beta rays were found to have a maximum energy of 0.55 Mev., and the gamma rays a quantum energy of ∼0.3 Mev. The beta-gamma coincidence rate of Rh¹⁰⁵ indicated that less than 8 per cent of the beta rays are coupled with the gamma ray.     

Revisiting the teachers' lounge: Reflections on emotional experience and teacher identity

This essay explores the relationship between emotion and teacher identity, using a framework of personal experience and published research from a variety of disciplines. The author argues that an increased awareness of emotional experience serves not only to increase rapport among educators, but also to counteract the persistent dehumanization of the teaching profession in our current sociopolitical context. She highlights the work of other educational scholars to suggest various means by which this awareness can be cultivated in research and teaching practice.